Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Aortic root remodeling in adulthood is known to be associated with cardiovascular outcomes. However, there is a lack of longitudinal data defining the clinical correlates of aortic root remodeling over the adult life course.

METHODS AND RESULTS:

We used serial routine echocardiograms in participants of the Framingham Heart Study to track aortic root diameter over 16 years in mid to late adulthood and to determine its short-term (4 years; n=6099 observations in 3506 individuals) and long-term (16 years; n=14,628 observations in 4542 individuals) clinical correlates by multilevel modeling. Age, sex, body size, and blood pressure were principal correlates of aortic remodeling in both short- and long-term analyses (all P < or = 0.01). Aortic root diameter increased with age in both men and women but was larger in men at any given age. Each 10-year increase in age was associated with a larger aortic root (by 0.89 mm in men and 0.68 mm in women) after adjustment for body size and blood pressure. A 5-kg/m(2) increase in body mass index was associated with a larger aortic root (by 0.78 mm in men and 0.51 mm in women) after adjustment for age and blood pressure. Each 10-mm Hg increase in pulse pressure was related to a smaller aortic root (by 0.19 mm in men and 0.08 mm in women) after adjustment for age and body size.

CONCLUSIONS:

These longitudinal community-based data show that aortic root remodeling occurs over mid to late adulthood and is principally associated with age, sex, body size, and blood pressure. The underlying basis for these differences and implications for the development of cardiovascular events deserve further study.